Lake Vermilion Area Trail Report – January 29, 2025

By Brad Dekkers, Assistant Area Supervisor, Parks and Trails, Department of Natural Resources

January 22, 2025

Hello Everyone and happy Wednesday.

Taconite Trail:                                                                                                                          Arrowhead Trail:

Snow: 12-22”                                                                                                                                Snow: 12-22”

Base: 1-3”                                                                                                                                          Base: 1-3”

Groomed: Yes                                                                                                                             Groomed: Yes

Condition: Fair to Poor                                                                                                   Condition: Fair to Poor

There is active logging happening in several spots throughout the Grant-in-Aid and State Trail system. Please slow down and give trucks and logging equipment space.

Trails are shaping up! We still need more snow to fully cover and fill all the bumps, rocks, and low spots, so remain cautious and aware at all times while riding! In general trails in the woods have more snow than exposed trails through swamps, timber sales, and power lines. And with the warmer days, we are seeing a few more ice flows than normal in swamps.

RIDERS USE CAUTION CROSSING BRIDGES, there is not enough snow for groomer operators to smoothly transition from the trail surface to the bridge deck.

See below for notes specific to each trail.

Taconite State Trail riding conditions are mostly fair throughout the trail with bits of poor conditions going through exposed areas. The Ely-to-Purvis segment remains narrow, and there remains a 1-mile segment of ungroomed trail east of the Wolftrack trail and west of Pfeiffer Lake that goes through multiple beaver ponds and swamps and has two caution locations in particular that are well-signed. We anticipate getting this last stretch groomed before this coming weekend.

Arrowhead State Trail riding conditions are mostly fair throughout the trail with bits of poor conditions going through exposed areas. Watch for ice flows on the trail going south from the junction with the Crane Lake South Grant in Aid trail.

Voyageur Trail Society and International Voyageurs snowmobile clubs (from Crane Lake and International Falls) groom the Arrowhead State Trail from the Bill Morgan trail to its northern terminus at the Blue Ox. Visit their websites for additional trail condition information at http://www.ridetheborders.com/trail-report.html#/ and https://www.snowmobilevacation.org/

Putnam/Fishing Lakes Trail is groomed and in fair condition with bits of poor conditions going through exposed areas. Watch for rocks throughout the trail. We still need quite a bit of snow to really smooth out the corners, swamps, and rocky areas.

Lake Vermilion Soudan Underground Mine SP Trails got its initial groom this week and is in fair condition.

Continue to monitor trail conditions online, as they may be changing daily: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snow_depth/index.html

– Brad Dekkers, Assistant Area Supervisor